Wolves edge North Star to advance to state consolation championship game
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
After losing a heart-breaking opening round game to Linton, Watford City bounced back to edge the North Star Bearcats 59-58 on Friday afternoon to advance to the consolation title game at the State Class B Boys Basketball Tournament.
Once again, Watford City found itself in a fight to the very end. But this time, the Wolves tasted the sweetness of victory as Christian Schulz scored the game winning basket on a spinning layup with 11 seconds left in the game.
Watford City trailed the Bearcats throughout the first quarter and by as much as seven points, 21-14, early in the second quarter before the Wolves went on a 17-6 scoring run to take a 31-27 halftime lead.
North Star would deadlock the game at 32-32 in the early minutes of the third quarter before Schulz and Kevin Sanford drilled a pair of treys to start an eight-point Watford City rally. But the Bobcats answered with a rally of their own to end the quarter trailing Watford City 40-38.
Watford City opened the final eight minutes of play going on another scoring run with Sanford giving the Wolves a 52-43 lead on a pair of baskets.
North Star had one last charge left as the Bearcats chipped away at the lead and then took a one-point advantage, 58-57, on a three-pointer setting the stage for Schulz’s game winning basket.
Kevin Sanford and Christian Schulz paced Watford City in scoring with 17 and 14 points, respectively.
Also scoring for the Wolves was Trey Jacobson with eight points, Casey Jore, Nick Liebel and Justin Flatland with six points each, while Reid Johnson ended the game with two points.
For the game, Watford City shot 44 percent from the field, hitting on 24 of 54 attempts and was good on seven of 11 at the free-throw line for 64 percent.
Watford City out-rebounded North Star 33-27.
Watford City 14 34 49 63
Linton 23 39 56 66
Watford City statistics: Rebounds: Kevin Sanford, 9; Nick Liebel, 7; Justin Flatland, 4; Trey Jacobson, 3; Christian Schulz, 3; Shawn Fulwider, 3; Casey Jore, 2; James Neer, 1. Assists: Jacobson, 5; Schulz, 3; Flatland, 2; Sanford, 1; Liebel, 1; Johnson, 1. Fouls: Flatland, 5; Sanford, 2; Jacobson, 1.